Battle vs. Chess

Ok, so we all know that Battle vs. Chess and Battle Chess have quite the history together. So much so that this game in some parts of the world had to change its name to Check vs. Mate which sounds pretty lame if I am being honest. If you like chess and want a game that is a rather different take on the classic game, I feel that this game is worth checking out.

Mortal Chessbat!

Before I get to the gameplay that is on offer here, I have to talk about the presentation of the game. Battle vs. Chess is a great looking game, but I do feel that they took great inspiration from the Mortal Kombat series. I would say that this game has a much better look than its rival Battle Chess as it is more realistic looking.

The “arena” that you are playing chess in also looks like it is taken straight from a Mortal Kombat game. I do not mean that as a diss either, I actually really like the overall presentation of this game.

Thinking, Thinking, Thinking!

You may think that you are the ultimate chess master, but I assure you that Battle vs. Chess is going to not just test your chess skills, but your puzzle-solving and problem-solving skills as well. The game plays similar to chess where you make moves and want to win the match, but the characters will fight it out which is really cool. The game has a ton of game modes for you to play. There is of course a campaign for you to play through, but this is really just the tip of the iceberg. Skirmish, battlegrounds, and mini-games are all here to keep you entertained. The mode I liked best was the mini-game mode as these were more like a series of puzzles than they were a straight game of chess. You can play against the AI which is one hell of a challenge by the way. Or, you can play with a friend via LAN or on the same computer which to me just sounds like a nightmare!

Learning From The Best

Battle vs. Chess has a tutorial mode which I highly recommend you do. I have played chess most of my life, but I still jumped into this mode here. It will spend some time teaching you the basics of chess which is great, especially for those, not all that familiar with chess.

However, it also teaches you how to play this game which is a bit of a learning curve. I would wager that you will have much more fun with this game in the long term if you take the time to play the tutorial.

Pros:

• I liked the realistic visuals
• The game is very dark and gloomy in its style
• The fighting is pretty cool
• Plenty of game modes to keep you busy
• It has a very interesting tutorial

Cons:

• The game has a steep learning curve
• The AI can be a bit cheap